So, you just got your brand new tattoo; and hopefully it is just what you wanted and looks awesome. But if you want it to keep looking as good as it looks now, it is vital that you takes all the steps necessary to make sure its kept in perfect condition, and that no infections are had.
Here we lay out how the healing process works, and the tattoo care steps along with hints and tips, that will ensure your tattoo looks the best that It can possibly be for the rest of your life.
The First Week;
The start of the healing begins as soon as your tattoo is finished, for the first week your tattoo should be treated like an open wound- so it is very sensitive and should be treated with the upmost care.
Your body is already working to heal the skin. After you've been tatted your tattoo artist will clean and bandage the area with an antibacterial ointment, and then wrap the new tattoo in a plastic wrap or another type of covering to protect the ink from bacteria and smudging. It all depends on what your artists thinks is best for your tattoo, but it is commonly recommended that you should leave the bandage on for 1-2 hours.
Once you take the bandage off using clean hands, you may notice an excess of ink, plasma, blood, and other gunk on the top. This is nothing to worry about, just clean it off with warm water and mild soap. Pat it dry with a clean cloth and let the air get to it.
Then thinly apply some aftercare lotion. We would obviously recommend The Beard and The Wonderful tattoo balm, which is enriched with butters, waxes, and essential oils to ensure your tattoo heals as quickly as possibly and looking the best that it can. After the first day you should clean and apply lotion 2-3 times a day.
It is important that after the first day you do not wrap up your tattoo, it needs to breath. If you do this the bandage could clog up with ink and fluid, which could stick to your skin and hinder the healing process.
Many people have described the pain of a fresh tattoo of being like a sunburn, it may appear red and even swollen, this is all a natural part of healing. It's important to not expose your new tattoo to direct sunlight or too much water; this includes soaking it in a bath, and swimming.
Although people tend to heal at different rates, the first healing stage of a tattoo usually lasts anywhere from three to seven days as long as an infection happen.
The Second Week;
During the next week you should continue the regime of cleaning and applying your lotion 2-3 times per day. You will start to notice some scabbing appearing on the surface of the tattoo, scabs can be thin and whitish or pick up some ink and be the colors of the tattoo.
This is normal. It is vital that you do not pick at it, rather just let it fall off naturally. Also during this week you will notice itching becoming more apparent, but suppress that urge to itch as this could also hinder the healing process. Some experts have advise adding more lotion to the area and patting down lightly can reduce itchiness.
The Third and Final Week;
For most, the third week brings an end to the healing process, this is however depending on the placement, complexity and size of the tattoo, and also how quickly your body recovers- its different for everyone. If you have followed the rules of aftercare and ensured you have done everything to ensure your body heals, then most of the scabs by now have fallen off, the itchiness has subsided however your skin my still be dry.
Continue moisturizing the skin and protecting it by the sun by using sun cream over the area. Keep at showers so the ink can fully settle into the skin, it could take slightly longer for the skin to heal properly. As time goes on the area will feel smoother and like your own skin again, everything back to normal (with the addition of the brand new ink you have).
How to stop tattoos itching
Many people have a hard time dealing with the itching period that all tattoo's bring. You find that your tattoo starts to itch within the first couple of days and during the healing stage. While your skin is healing and is a little swollen and sore, skin cells are being renewed and the skin is peeling. This results in that horrific itching sensation.
Tattoo itching relief
When you get that itch here are your options to soothe it.
1. Slap the area but DO NOT SCRATCH - Tapping and slapping will give some relief but will not damage the top layer of the skin like scratching with nails does.
2. Use an ice pack - Ice on the itching tattoo can relieve the symptoms as the area cools down the itches diminish.
3. Rub the Tattoo - A gentle rubbing can work if the slapping method fails. Use a clean cloth to cover the tattoo then rub and gently scratch thus avoiding the nails touching and damaging the itching tattoo.
4. Use Tattoo Aftercare Balm - Another reason why tattoos get itchy is because the skin gets dry, so apply some moisturizer when it is looking or feeling dry.
The Beard and The Wonderful Tattoo Balm is an all-natural aftercare balm that helps reduce scabbing, speeds up healing, and preserves your tattoo’s color. Our balm is constructed of all-natural premium ingredients including shea butter, jojoba oil, hemp oil, beeswax, eucalyptus oil, and teatree oil. This potent combo works on healing the area as well as helping to protect it from bugs, water, sweat and sunlight which all can help to make it itch.
The start of the healing begins as soon as your tattoo is finished, for the first week your tattoo should be treated like an open wound- so it is very sensitive and should be treated with the upmost care.
During the next week you should continue the regime of cleaning and applying your lotion 2-3 times per day. You will start to notice some scabbing appearing on the surface of the tattoo, scabs can be thin and whitish or pick up some ink and be the colors of the tattoo.
Many thanks for the blog, it is full of a lot of helpful information. Reading this .
Leave a comment